Golden State Warriors vs Boston Celtics 6/8/22: Starting Lineups, Matchup Preview, Betting Odds, Predictions

Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics Matchup Preview (6/8/22)

Mission accomplished for the Boston Celtics: they took away home-court advantage, at least momentarily, from the Golden State Warriors. Now, Boston just needs to win all of its home games to become the 2022 NBA Champion. The only problem with that is that the C’s have been a below-average team at home during these playoffs. Still, Boston is in a better position than when it started the series, so that is a positive for its fans. It was a bit unrealistic to think that the Celtics would steal two straight games in San Francisco, but after Golden State’s lackluster defense in Game One, anything would have been possible.

The Warriors ramped up the effort on both ends of the floor in Game Two, realizing they would be in deep trouble if they went down 2-0 with both losses coming at home. An impressive third quarter led to the Dubs blowing the game wide open; they outscored Boston 35-14 in that quarter, displaying a more consistent and disciplined defense while shooting the lights out. Game Three should be tight from start to finish, so check out my analysis for this matchup below!

Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics Betting Odds

Boston has had its fair share of struggles at home during the playoffs, but I believe it will come out with more of a sense of urgency. Once the Warriors pulled away in Game Two, Boston threw in the towel a bit because it had already done what it needed to do in the first two games. The margin of victory for Golden State in Game Two does not scare me for that reason. The C’s will protect the ball much better in this game, and by limiting turnovers and getting a better performance from Jayson Tatum and company, I believe they will squeak out a win at home.

How To Watch

Date: 6/8/22
Time: 9:00 PM ET
Arena: TD Garden – Boston, MA
Channel: ABC

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Golden State Warriors Starting Lineup

PG: Steph Curry
SG: Klay Thompson
SF: Andrew Wiggins
PF: Draymond Green
C: Kevon Looney

Golden State Warriors Analysis

After the first two games, Steph Curry has certainly looked the part of a Finals MVP. Now, it just depends on whether the Warriors can win three more games against a formidable opponent in the Boston Celtics. Golden State was much more active defensively in the second half of Game Two, which was promising for a team that struggled a lot in Game One. The number of open looks from deep that Boston got in that first game was deeply concerning; however, the Dubs were able to turn it around behind solid leadership, especially from veteran big man Draymond Green, who does not fear being vocal with teammates.

Everyone knows this, but Golden State is an elite third-quarter basketball team. It has outscored Boston by double-digits in both games thus far in the third. If it weren’t for that fourth-quarter collapse and abysmal perimeter defense in Game One, Golden State would be up 2-0. For the Dubs to head back to San Francisco with the series back in their control, they will need to get better shooting from Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole. Poole had a solid Game Two, including a buzzer-beater from near half-court, but Thompson finished just 4-for-19 from the field. Only time will tell if the other splash brother will bounce back in Game Three.

Boston Celtics Starting Lineup

PG: Marcus Smart
SG: Jaylen Brown
SF: Jayson Tatum
PF: Al Horford
C: Robert Williams III

Boston Celtics Analysis

Like I mentioned above, the Boston Celtics did everything they needed to do in the first two games to stay in the series and regain the home-court advantage with five games left and a tied series at 1-1. There are a few things the C’s need to address before taking the court for Game Three, though. First, they cannot replicate their 18-turnover performance in Game Two. Boston needs to force the Warriors, who have been one of the sloppiest teams in the playoffs at times, into more turnovers than they commit. That’s essential to their success.

Additionally, Boston needs a lot more from Jayson Tatum than it is getting. Tatum’s stats looked better in Game Two, but his plus-minus was deeply concerning; he finished with a -36, the worst in NBA Finals history. Game One wasn’t much better as he finished with 12 points. Luckily, other players like Derrick White, Al Horford, and Marcus Smart picked up the slack, but that is not viable in the long term against such an experienced Golden State squad. If Boston wants a chance at winning this series, it will need a much better performance from Tatum on both ends of the floor.